


smudges and stupid umbrellas

by hellodenihere



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Universe, Delinquent!Akira, Kissing, Lovers!Ryuji, M/M, Model!Ryuji, akira is still the fool but mostly a fool for ryuji tbh, arcana swap, ryuji doesn't need to be a track star for the gay thoughts to catch him, ryuji's really insecure about his appearance in this ok
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 06:33:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23346976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hellodenihere/pseuds/hellodenihere
Summary: tumblr kissing prompt fill: "kisses shared under an umbrella."It was simple. Go shopping with Ryuji and be his personal shopping bag. But then the clouds starts to darken and they're stuck walking under a shitty umbrella to make for a bad day.Well, atleast the company's good.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Sakamoto Ryuji, Kurusu Akira/Sakamoto Ryuji, Persona 5 Protagonist/Sakamoto Ryuji
Comments: 25
Kudos: 142





	smudges and stupid umbrellas

**Author's Note:**

> okay, so!! i got this tumblr prompt months ago but only had the time and motivation to finally finish it now.
> 
> but!! it's basically based on this self-indulgent [model!ryuji au](https://hellodenihere.tumblr.com/post/188783858932/alright-i-cant-stop-thinking-about-this-so) (it shows better on mobile) that's been on my head for ages lmao. hence, the slight ooc-ness?? idk they're still akira and ryuji to me. just imagine ryuji with the lovers arcana and actual delinquent kurusu akira.
> 
> might make a multi-chapter fic on this au someday, might not. no promises but hey!! atleast i get to share this one thing into the world so yeah!!

In the nearing evening, the sound of footsteps can be heard from the drizzling rain, splashing and kicking puddles around as they go. Fluorescent lights gradually flickering up to life one by one as the sun begins to set. 

Through the lonely streets from the shopping district, there are two boys dashing past as they take shelter by the waiting area. They place their bags on the bench as they shake their clothes and hair off. 

"Oh come on," The blonde one begins to groan, pouting as he looks at the set of four shopping bags. He takes one of them, holding it close until-

His nose wrinkles, and his eyes twitch, all before pulling it away. 

"Yeaah. Yup, that smells. Cool, great."

Akira looks back at him from drying out his uniform blazer in an attempt to savour it. Eyes distant and mouth frowning, a picture of total disinterest. 

“Already?”

A bit accusing, a little too blunt, and completely uncaring. It sounds harsher than the way he intends it to, not like he ever cared to sweeten his words before. Simply put, Ryuji catches the tone immediately, flinching at the one word as he sets one of the bags down. It…. makes him feel bad, gut twisting at the way his confidant gazes down.

They had just come from a series of thrift shops as per the model’s request. Saying things like _‘I need new clothes for the season please please pleasee Akira’_ and for what exactly he doesn’t understand. The guy practically owns every jacket, sweater and hoodie known to man just from the ones he sees him wear along with his uniform alone. He didn’t even have any friends besides him, Ann, Shiho, and sometimes Mishima to hang out with much on the weekends. But because it’s Ryuji, he says yes to being his personal carrier.

Now look where that got him. Drenched in rain on the opposite side away from his lovely dusty attic by some shed with a set of smelly shopping bags. 

Great.

But then he takes one more look at Ryuji, and something about the way he looks so guilty and sad just rubs him off the wrong way. He takes a step closer _(for what)_ just as quickly he backs away, retracting his hand along with it. The delinquent shoves his hands into his pockets, taking a deep breath.

“I’m not mad.”

Ryuji looks up to him, eyes clearly depicting that _Really?_ intonation. Which really sucks, because this is a very bad time for him to be staring, his poker face is getting ruined by his cheeks rising up. Ryuji doesn’t comment on it though, just rubs the back of his neck as he says, “Oh… that’s good. I-I mean-! Yeah, okay nice.” and laughing quietly to himself as he does. And this time, Akira doesn’t stop himself from staring, because when Ryuji smiles he does it best. Teeth pearly white and warm and completely _unfair._

God, feelings _suck._

“S-So anyway!” The blond starts, opting to look at the rain instead of the other boy, “Sucks that the rain got here just when we were gonna go home, huh?” He starts searching through his school bag, frowning. “....You got an umbrella? I’m all out.”

Akira shrugs, filing through his bag by the mention, not expecting to find one. Mild confusion turns into surprise when he finds a small black umbrella hidden among his notebooks. Huh.

“....I think my caretaker left me with this.” That Sakura chief surprisingly gave a damn more than he expected.

He holds it out for Ryuji to see, who brightens up at the sight almost immediately as he sees it. It doesn’t last long when he opens it up though. It’s… too small. Looking between him, the six bags, and the rain, he sighs.

“Guess we’ll just have to make do?”

_« x »_

Okay, so.

Maybe they should’ve just waited out the rain. _Maybe._

-is what Akira is considering as they brave through the weather turning for the worse. Hell, even the inside of their shoes are thoroughly soaked and so are the rest of their- well, everything. But that’s not what’s bothering him though. No, it’s the model clinging onto him, arm tucked into his elbow like it’s nothing as an effort to fit through the stupid umbrella he’s holding.

Akira’s holding the three bags on his right side with the other three on Ryuji’s side. It doesn’t stop the blond from holding onto his left arm with both hands in the slightest, one tucked in and the other holding on like it’s a goddamned life vest, with any sort of movement or step forward or backward he gets dragged along. Which is a lot, because. Ryuji. He never seems to stay still. 

Damn Ann and Shiho for being his only friends. Damn them into somehow making Ryuji think this is how normal friends act. Holding onto each other. Being so close. Getting to hear and _feel_ every breath or utter from the other boy as they bump heads every now and then. Why is he even so _warm_ , it’s raining for god’s sake. 

He prays to any god that exists that Ryuji doesn’t notice the way he’s blushing furiously now, teeth clenching together as he tries to _get it together Akira._

They haven’t spoken much as they go, too busy with trying to stagger through until they start to care less and less about the rain. It’s when they go from sprinting to walking that one of them finally starts to clear the air.

“Thanks again for going shopping with me, Akira! I know it’s not really your thing.”

“No problem.”

Silence.

For fuck’s _sake._

If Ann were here she’d take Joker’s knife, beat him up, all just to slice the tension in the air herself just for that dry remark. But _what else was he supposed to say??_

It doesn’t deter Ryuji in the slightest, continuing with his thoughts, “I bet you’re thinking it’s weird. Like, why would a freaking model choose to buy cheap clothes from thrift shops instead of malls?”

The delinquent looks up to the dark clouds, shrugging as he does.

“Well,” He slows his pace, “Isn’t it some sort of trend nowadays?”

His arm gets dragged to a stand still. Ryuji looks at him, like, really looks at him. He blinks. Once, twice. All before the blond suddenly tips his head back, holds onto his stomach, and _laughs._ It’s like they’ve moved past the first half of the play, because the scenery feels like a breath of fresh air, from dry and gloomy to something precious and just plain _adorable._ It makes him want to take his arm back and latch onto the boy’s back, just so he could hold him and hug him and and all those lovey dovey cringy shit as he kisses away every little scrape, scar or pain away from his memories just to make this moment last forever. 

It’s probably a model thing. 

“What the hell-” The blond says, wiping away a tear from his eye as he continues to rumble out another round of laughter, “You sound like a grandpa, Akira.”

And this time Akira finally smiles warmly, eyes softening up, entranced that he’s managed to get a reaction just from being damn clueless. He’s still fairly new to this, this whole being trying to be friendly and genuine thing from his old self of being cold and bitter. And so is Ryuji, from just having been freed from Kamoshida’s reign. This phantom thieves gig continuing still ticks him off somewhat, but he guesses it is kind of worth it.

That’s as much as a lasting moment as it is until a car skids past, splashing them all over in its wake. 

His back takes the brunt of it, already stiff and rigid in place. Ryuji arms comes up to hug over himself, coughing and shivering. The poor guy got it in the face too, evident in the way some eyeliner (or was it mascara? both?) starts to smudge and drip a little across his cheek.

“Hey.. you got a little all over your..” he gestures towards his own face.

Ryuji’s face falls, panic sets in, and then he’s stumbling back and away from the umbrella while dropping the set of bags down, scrunching up his face with the sleeves of his jacket trying to hide it. He traces a finger over it, expression darkening even further at the mess.

“Oh uh…” His eyes are wide with anxiety, lips starting to tremble. A deer caught in the headlights. It takes Akira a few more seconds to realize until it clicks.

Ryuji hates leaving the house without any makeup on. He’d rather get hit on anywhere but the face when fighting against shadows. He hides out in the bathroom several times a day just to keep himself all pretty and perfect at all times.

Come to think of it, he never does see him without any makeup on.

Akira likes to think he’d still be just as pretty.

But that’s not what matters now, what matters is consoling Ryuji right now. 

So he holds out the umbrella to cover the blond, uncaring of the ongoing rain drizzling down against him. The model’s eyes widen at the gesture, jacket sleeves pulling away from his face to reach for the umbrella. Both hands brushing against his feel warm despite the cold, ushering the handle back for the small (practically useless at this point) umbrella to cover Akira instead. 

He doesn’t let up though, pushing it back in contrast to atleast over the blond head. He moves up another hand to cradle it against the other boy’s cheek, thumb tracing away some of the smudges. He’s not very familiar with makeup, but he can tell by the way the mascara is easily streaming down across his face that the product used was cheap. 

Maybe that was another thing Ryuji was anxious about. A seemingly rich pretty boy, buying trendy clothes from low cost thrift stores and low quality cosmetics.

He feels like he understands Ryuji a little better now.

That weird grassy rainy scent is all that engulfs them now. He doesn’t like the way Ryuji’s frowning. Wary and confused, as if any moment he’s ready to bolt and leave him there. He leans in close, close enough that he can feel their warm breaths against each other, close enough that it makes Ryuji’s cute little nose tickle, close enough to breathe in that godly perfume he always has on him.

Face a little red himself, his mouth forms into a devious smirk, “I’m going to kiss you now.”

Akira hovers over to his face more and more, slow enough to give him some space to back away if he doesn't want it, slow enough to catch the way the model’s mouth parts open as the heat creeps up to his cheeks as realization sets in. And then when Ryuji doesn’t pull back-

He closes the distance, presses his lips to Ryuji’s softly, hesitantly.

Ryuji tastes like sunshine and cold summer air all at once.

It starts off as a chaste kiss. Initiated by him and him only, but he can’t bring himself to complain when he finally gets to do _this_ from weeks full of stress caused by the move and shitty teachers and shitty alternate worlds. Unfortunately, it seems the model doesn’t seem to long for him as he does, barely making any sort of move back. 

His stomach drops, pulling away carefully, letting out a cold sigh as he does that makes Ryuji tremble against him.

He’s about to apologize when Ryuji suddenly takes two fistfuls of his collar, smacking his lip back to him, and suddenly, he’s breathless. 

It’s still raining, albeit not just as bad, but honestly at this point who gives a flying _fuck._ Akira gives in, lets go of the umbrella and the stupid fucking bags hanging by his arm. And as those splashes down against the ground Akira closes his eyes as he hugs both sides of his friend’s waist and pulls at him desperately. Ryuji hums quietly in reaction and the sound makes him smile so much that it makes him nibble on his lower lip to tease, and he can just _feel_ the shudder that the other makes. 

By the time they both pull away they’re staring at each other, and Ryuji is a _mess._ Face flushed with mascara streaming down his eyes as if he’s crying black tears. The other student seems to remember when he blinks, all before Ryuji buries his face into the front of his collar in an effort to hide away.

If this was anyone else Akira would’ve cursed them out for staining his shirt.

But because this is Ryuji, sweet and kind Ryuji who shines bright like the sun, he gives his soft hair a ruffle and a one armed hug, laughing quietly to himself.

“Don’t worry,” Akira’s voice is but a soft, purring murmur, tone kinder and more fond than he thought he could make. Looking down, he sees Ryuji peek up at him with those big brown eyes as he continues his next words.

“You’ll always be pretty to me.” 

Ryuji makes a flustered sound, hand balled into his shirt pulling forcefully. His face a complete red. But slowly he disentangles himself from him, and he misses the warmth against the uncomfortable cold instantly.

“W-What the hell man..” Ryuji says, covering away his lips with the edge of his sleeve.

Akira takes a handkerchief from his pocket, a little damp from the splash but not completely. Ryuji takes it and tries to fix himself up as much as he can without a mirror while he goes to pick up the forgotten set of bags. The rain lets up enough to not need the umbrella anymore, hanging it over his wrist along with the bags on his right. By the time he looks back at the other boy he’s more or less cleaned up but not completely.

Ryuji won’t meet his eyes when he asks how he looks. But that’s okay, the delinquent doesn’t mind grabbing the napkin to dab away at the remaining smudge. Without a word he tucks back his other arm into Ryuji’s, intertwining their hands together.

The model flusters up even further, but there’s a spark in his eyes now, a glint that wasn’t there before. The blonde squeezes his hand, a warm smile at the edges of his lips.

Akira smiles. He’s been doing that a lot now lately.

He squeezes back in return.

With a light in his step and a glee to his voice, he gestures towards the road.

“Shall we?”

And then, Ryuji _laughs._

Maybe this isn’t such a bad day after all.

**Author's Note:**

> i was planning to make ryuji pink-haired instead of blonde but then i remembered i used the word 'blonde' to refer to him too many times so,,,,,,
> 
> maybe next time
> 
> anyway!! if you've reached this far then thank you for reading!! if u liked it then hey leave a kudos/comment!! stay safe and always wash your hands!!!


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